Various compositions and processes for reducing fat content in foods have been developed within the food products industry. One method for reducing fat content in foods includes the use of modified starches as fat substitutes. For example, Iyengar et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,051,271, disclose a method for preparing a food grade insoluble starch bulking agent, wherein the starch is chemically modified by enzymatic hydrolysis. This starch-based bulking agent can be used as a fat substitute in food products.
Another fat reducing process involves combining starch and a gelling agent. For example, Uemura et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,844,922, disclose low-fat foods wherein a gel, comprising a gelling agent such as pectin and a thickening agent such as starch, is used as a fat substitute.
These compositions and processes for reducing fat in foods have been used to prepare low-fat spreadable food products. For example, Hirschey et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,942 disclose aerated reduced-fat cremes comprising pregelatinized, chemically modified instant starch. Miller et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,520, disclose low-fat comestible spreads comprising pectin or starch and starch derivatives.
Further, Glass et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,102,680, disclose a reduced fat frosting composition comprising a gelling component which includes a pregelatinized, chemically modified, cold water swellable starch.
However, the development of fat substitutes and low-fat food compositions, combined with consumer preferences for healthier food products, has created a variety of problems. For example, low-fat compositions previously produced as "ready-to-spread" have tended to provide poor performance stability. As used herein, "ready-to-spread" refers to products that can be directly applied from the container to a desired food by the consumer without the requirement of additional preparation steps prior to the application.
Attempts have been made to stabilize ready-to-spread compositions that are not considered "low-fat". For example, Daggy et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,649,302, disclose a process for producing a shelf-stable ready-to-spread frosting composition comprising a chemically modified, cold water swellable starch. Augustine et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,292, disclose a shelf-stable ready-to-spread frosting composition comprising both chemically and physically modified starches that are cold water swellable. Although these products showed improved shelf-stability, their product performance stability, i.e. stability on the food product to which the ready-to-spread frosting was applied, was not determined.
Currently available low-fat ready-to-spread frostings tend to be unable to remain on the cake for more than a few hours after application. The rate of occurrence of the phenomenon usually described by consumers as "watery", "mushy" or "soft" is accelerated at cake storage temperatures at or above room temperature. Hence, the performance of currently available low-fat ready-to-spread frostings does not meet consumer expectations with regard to stability.
There is, therefore, a recognized need for low-fat compositions which are readily spreadable and maintain the moistness of baked products to which they are applied, and are stable once they are placed on the baked good for extended periods of time.